Gossip, talebearing, and prudence
I find it so difficult to control my tongue. It is very easy to join the gossip-fest or to add fuel to the fire of conversations that should not have taken place to begin with.
Unfortunately, this all-too-prevalent vice is an easy snare for many of us—partly because it is so prevalent. I know that I am likely to say disparaging things about people who I think are doing the same thing against me. It’s almost like the opposite of the Golden Rule: Do unto others because they’re doing unto you.”
In my devotions today I read chapter for of The Imitation of Christ by Thomas à Kempis. I am including it in its entirety here because it is so wise and so needed:
Prudence in Action
DO NOT yield to every impulse and suggestion but consider things carefully and patiently in the light of God’s will. For very often, sad to say, we are so weak that we believe and speak evil of others rather than good. Perfect men, however, do not readily believe every talebearer, because they know that human frailty is prone to evil and is likely to appear in speech.Not to act rashly or to cling obstinately to one’s opinion, not to believe everything people say or to spread abroad the gossip one has heard, is great wisdom.
Take counsel with a wise and conscientious man. Seek the advice of your betters in preference to following your own inclinations.
A good life makes a man wise according to God and gives him experience in many things, for the more humble he is and the more subject to God, the wiser and the more at peace he will be in all things.
Where is God when things go bad?
I stood a mendicant of God
before His royal throne
And begged him for one priceless gift,
which I could call my own.
I took the gift from out His hand,
but as I would depart
I cried, “But Lord this is a thorn
and it has pierced my heart.
This is a strange, a hurtful gift,
which Thou hast given me.”
He said, “My child, I give good gifts
and gave My best to thee.”
I took it home and though at first
the cruel thorn hurt sore,
As long years passed I learned at last
to love it more and more.
I learned He never gives a thorn
without this added grace,
He takes the thorn to pin aside
the veil which hides His face.
Steve Saint is the son of Nate Saint, one of the five missionaries slaughtered by the Auca Indians of Ecuador in the 1950s. He and his family continued to take the gospel of Jesus Christ to the Aucas (now known as the Waodani) and the resultant changes to this people group are amazing.
I recently listened to a recording of a message that Steve Saint gave at a conference on worldwide evangelism. His talk was convicting and motivating. He has a wonderful sense of the total sovereignty of God—even in the midst of such terrible things as the murder of his father.
Steve read the poem at the right to help explain the concept of God’s love and goodness shining through even the seemingly bad circumstances of our lives.
Where is God when things go bad?
Steve Saint is the son of Nate Saint, one of the five missionaries slaughtered by the Auca Indians of Ecuador in the 1950s. He and his family continued to take the gospel of Jesus Christ to the Aucas (now known as the Waodani) and the resultant changes to this people group are amazing.
I recently listened to a recording of a message that Steve Saint gave at a conference on worldwide evangelism. His talk was convicting and motivating. He has a wonderful sense of the total sovereignty of God—even in the midst of such terrible things as the murder of his father.
Steve read the poem below to help explain the concept of God’s love and goodness shining through even the seemingly bad circumstances of our lives.
I stood a mendicant of God before His royal throne
And begged him for one priceless gift, which I could call my own.I took the gift from out His hand, but as I would depart
I cried, “But Lord this is a thorn and it has pierced my heart.This is a strange, a hurtful gift, which Thou hast given me.”
He said, “My child, I give good gifts and gave My best to thee.”I took it home and though at first the cruel thorn hurt sore,
As long years passed I learned at last to love it more and more.I learned He never gives a thorn without this added grace,
He takes the thorn to pin aside the veil which hides His face.
"Loving God and Neighbor Together" – Piper responds
Professor Peter Schikele of PDQ Bach fame once said, “Truth is truth. You can’t have opinions about truth.” That’s the concept that comes roaring out of this video in torrents. May the evangelical world wake up to the truth of what John Piper presents here:
Loving God and Neighbor Together” – Piper responds
Professor Peter Schikele of PDQ Bach fame once said, “Truth is truth. You can’t have opinions about truth.” That’s the concept that comes roaring out of this video in torrents. May the evangelical world wake up to the truth of what John Piper presents here:
Public education for special needs kids
For seven years my wife and I have worked hard to fight for our son’s education. My wife has dedicated all her resources to this, even quitting her job to fight for our son’s education the year after she was named “National Photographer of the Year.” She was an up-and-coming portrait photographer specializing in infants to five-year-old children. She is now a stay-at-home (stay-at-school office) mom working long and hard to make sure that our son is being included in school functions and is being taught.
This has been by far the hardest battle of our lives. These children, who have tremendous difficulties in life due to their unique health-related conditions, must overcome incredible obstacles in their schools—obstacles that rise from the most unexpected places. It seems that the teachers, principals, and other school leaders tolerate these children because they are required to by law, but do everything they can to remove these children from their classrooms into “specialized” enclosed classes, which are actually classes with lower standards, stigmatized children, and institutionalized disrespect.
I have recently found a blog written by Barbara Curtis, a woman who has raised 12 children—including multiple children with Down Syndrome—one biological and the rest adopted. She has posted some outstanding thoughts on this topic of special needs education.
More links to related blogs and posts:
Public education for special needs kids
For seven years my wife and I have worked hard to fight for our son’s education. My wife has dedicated all her resources to this, even quitting her job to fight for our son’s education the year after she was named “National Photographer of the Year.” She was an up-and-coming portrait photographer specializing in infants to five-year-old children. She is now a stay-at-home (stay-at-school office) mom working long and hard to make sure that our son is being included in school functions and is being taught.
This has been by far the hardest battle of our lives. These children, who have tremendous difficulties in life due to their unique health-related conditions, must overcome incredible obstacles in their schools—obstacles that rise from the most unexpected places. It seems that the teachers, principals, and other school leaders tolerate these children because they are required to by law, but do everything they can to remove these children from their classrooms into “specialized” enclosed classes, which are actually classes with lower standards, stigmatized children, and institutionalized disrespect.
I have recently found a blog written by Barbara Curtis, a woman who has raised 12 children—including multiple children with Down Syndrome, one biological and the others adopted. She has posted some outstanding thoughts on this topic of special needs education
Gimme that feel good religion
I just wouldn’t be doing the right thing if I did not point you to this delightfully tongue-in-cheek, but right-on-the-money post. I especially like this verse (to be sung to the tune of “Give Me That Old Time Religion:
Chorus
Gimme that feel good religion
Gimme that feel good religion
Gimme that feel good religion
It’s good enough for meFun and teary thumping Praise songs
keep repeating all those praise songs
praise songs praise songs praise songs
praise songs praise songs praise songs
praise songs praise songs praise songs
praise songs praise songs praise songs
its good enough for me
Gimme that feel good religion
I just wouldn’t be doing the right thing if I did not point you to this delightfully tongue-in-cheek, but right-on-the-money post. I especially like this verse (to be sung to the tune of “Give Me That Old Time Religion:
Chorus
Gimme that feel good religion
Gimme that feel good religion
Gimme that feel good religion
It’s good enough for meFun and teary thumping Praise songs
keep repeating all those praise songs
praise songs praise songs praise songs
praise songs praise songs praise songs
praise songs praise songs praise songs
praise songs praise songs praise songs
its good enough for me
"No" means "no"
So often I feel compelled to push my point of view. I think, “surely others would see the wisdom in my way of thinking, I must have simply not stated my position clearly enough.” In other words: “No one could possibly actually have a legitimate disagreement with me.”
What lies behind this way of thinking, is probably a lack of trust in God’s sovereign control of everything. If I truly trust God’s working in all matters, I will state my case as clearly as I can, hoping that others will agree and will put into practice the things I think should be done. But when I hear the word “no,” I will accept that answer and move on.
Those of you with children probably realize already that this is a lesson we regularly try to teach our children—usually a verbal lesson though; teaching by example can be much too hard.
Acts 21:12-14 When we heard this, we and the people there urged him not to go up to Jerusalem. Then Paul answered, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be imprisoned but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” And since he would not be persuaded, we ceased and said, “Let the will of the Lord be done.”
Apparently, these early Christians did not have as much of a problem with this as I do. After trying to persuade Paul to go somewhere other than Jerusalem, they accepted his answer and stopped trying to dissuade him.
Maybe someday I’ll learn to be this accepting of God’s will.
Mirror blog
Due to continuing problems with the commenting on this blog, I have created a mirror-blog (exact same posts, different software).
If you are having trouble commenting here, please use this link to comment at the other location:
Blog Header – January 27, 2008
My office in McLean, Virginia, is attached to the Ritz Carlton Hotel and to the Tysons II Galleria Mall. One day, about two years ago, we noticed that the sky became darker and darker as the day progressed. Early in the afternoon an unexpected snow storm hit. When the snow began to accumulate, I went to my car, grabbed my camera and took a few photographs from the front of my office building.This week’s header photo is that snow storm, as seen from the front door of our building, looking across the park that divides the twin office buildings that are bookends to the Ritz Carlton. We don’t get a lot of snow in Northern, Virginia, so I have to capture it for posterity when it happens.
By His grace - For His glory 